That's Our Girl
by IStoleYourJuice
Summary: Aria Trevelyan has her mother's manners, grace, and beauty, with her father's wit, charm and sense of adventure. She is a delight to everyone she meets and proof that light can come from even the darkest of times. Follows Aria's interactions with members of the Inquisition and other familiar faces.
1. Rasler

**A/N: OKAY! So, these stories were previously published under a different name and also under my other name but due to issues I have combined them and brought them over here in hopes that the issue will be resolved and I hope to have your continued support.**

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Three years had passed since Corypheus had been defeated at the final battle at the ruins of Haven. The Breach had been sealed, and the Inquisition, once seen as a collection of heretics and thugs, were now respected and seen as seen as heroes rivaling those that had defeated the fifth Blight.

Cassandra Pentaghast, now known as Divine Victoria, had been named as the new divine immediately following the destruction of Corypheus. Truth be told, Leliana was always the Chantry's first choice as successor, but after her flat refusal of the title Cassandra was the obvious, albeit only choice. Leliana's refusal no doubt had to do with the return of the Hero of Ferelden. No sooner had Corypheus been defeated than Warden Cousland had come to Skyhold. Whether he was successful in mission to cure the taint remained unknown. Leliana did not seem to care either way, and her normally hard and business like persona seemed to soften the moment she was back in the arms of her lover. She still remained spymaster to the inquisition, but her methods were no longer lethal.

Cullen remained in command of the Inquisition's forces. Even though he had expressed concern that his leadership might be compromised due his lyrium withdrawals, every last soldier professed that there was not another man they would rather lead them and they would follow him to the void if he commanded them.

The rest of the Inquisitor's allies remained loyal to the Inquisition even when personal matters required their attention elsewhere. No matter where their personal journeys led, they always found their way back to Skyhold and the Inquisition and for many, their home.

As for the Inquisitor himself, he had married Lady Josephine Montilyet in a ceremony that could have rivaled King Alistair's and Queen Anora's no doubt thanks to the many connections that Josephine had made over the years. Leliana had pulled the Inquisitor aside before the ceremony had concluded and at long last gave him her blessing, and all who attended the affair had said that they had never seen two people more in love. The way that Inquisitor Trevelyan looked at his bride could melt even the coldest of hearts. Even Morrigan was seen offering a rare smile when she looked upon them, though she would never admit it.

That had been nearly two years ago. Now Rasler Trevelyan lay awake in his chambers staring at the dark ceiling. Josephine lay next to him, her arm draped over his chest and her head resting on his shoulder. Her long dark hair fell in front of her face and he gently brushed it behind her ear. He had seen her like this countless times before, yet it never ceased to amaze him how beautiful she was. The first night that he had seen her like this, that first night that they had made love, he knew that he would never be able to live a life without her. She had captured his heart, and there was no doubt in his mind that if there was a Maker, he had designed this woman especially for him.

He did not think that any day would make him as happy as the day that she agreed to marry him. No other woman, he thought, would ever hold his heart the way that his beloved did. No love could even come close to the love that he felt for the woman who had remained at his side throughout everything. There was nothing in the world that would compare to what he felt in his heart when he looked at Josephine. Until now.

Rasler carefully untangled himself from Josephine's sleeping form and slowly rose from the bed. He crossed the large room to the small cradle that lay under the massive window and felt his heart soar as he looked down at his sleeping daughter. Aria Alexandra Trevelyan was approaching three months of age, yet Rasler still marveled at how perfect she was. She was the spitting image of Josephine, expect for the pale green eyes she had inherited from her father. A small smile spread across his face as he looked down at what was possibly his greatest accomplishment. Even defeating Corypheus did not give him the satisfaction he felt as he looked down at his baby daughter. Every time he looked at her, which was constantly, he knew that there was nothing in the world that he would not do for her. He would do whatever it took to keep her happy and safe, no matter the consequences to himself. He loved Aria more than his own life, more than he had ever loved another living person besides her mother.

As these thoughts floated around in his mind, he could not help but think of another man who's desire to protect his child had nearly ripped apart the world. Gereon Alexius had been a permanent resident of Skyhold's prison since his judgement at the hand of Rasler himself. Truthfully, Rasler had not given the man a second thought since he had rendered his judgement. In the last months however, he had thought of the man almost daily. He had developed an understanding of Alexius that he did not think possible. While he could never condone the actions that the man took, he felt a deep understanding and if he was honest, sympathy for the former magister. Alexius had lost his wife and ultimately his son and he could do nothing to save them. Rasler felt a sickening feeling deep in stomach when he thought of the idea of losing his family, and if he was honest with himself, he wasn't sure if he would choose a different path than Alexius if presented with his situation.

He wasn't sure what possessed him to make the decision, he wasn't even sure he had officially made a decision. Whatever the case, he grabbed his cloak that had been draped over a nearby chair and quietly made his exit from the room.

The keep was quiet, the occupants having retired several hours ago giving the main hall a rather eerie atmosphere. The guards manning the main entrance saluted once before opening the massive doors leading to the courtyard. A blast of cold wind hit Rasler in the face causing him to shiver instantly. He suddenly had flashbacks to the first battle of Haven when he has caused an avalanche and soon after had to battle his way through a snowstorm. He half ran the length of the courtyard to the entrance of the dungeon.

If the weather was warmer in here, it was not enough of a difference to be noticed. Rasler had never actually been the dungeons since Skyhold had been rebuilt, and he suddenly felt a pang of guilt. Not so much for the prisoners that had earned their stay here, but for the soldiers who guarded this area. He made a mental note to increase the pay of those assigned to this unpleasant location.

The stairs descended lower and lower into the earth, and the torches lining the walls did little in the way of warmth. Rasler shivered under his cloak and drew it tighter around his shoulders. Maker's balls, how far down did this go?

After what felt like an eternity, the stairs evened out and opened to the holding area of the cells. Two guards were seen huddled together in front of a torch, their hands outstretched in an effort to warm their frozen fingers. They seemed not to notice him, both were too busy trying to hold off the onset of frostbite. Rasler cleared his throat to announce his presence, after spending his entire childhood around soldiers, he knew better than to surprise two tired and armed men.

The soldiers looked up and their eyes widened.

"Your Worship!" One of them exclaimed.

Maker he hated that title, even to this day.

"Forgive us My Lord, we were only-"

Rasler held up a hand the soldiers immediately fell silent. "Relax, I did not come here for an inspection. How long have you been down here?"

"Since nightfall My Lord."

Rasler nodded. "You are hereby relieved of your duties this night. Go back to your quarters and get warm."

"But Your Worship, the next watch does not begin for several hours."

"I will take over until they arrive. If anyone should question you send them to me and I will take full responsibility. Now, take the rest of the night for yourselves. That's an order."

The soldiers looked confused but clearly grateful for a chance to be away from this place.

"Yes, My Lord, thank you My Lord." The soldiers made their way out up the stairs and Rasler was left alone. He suddenly became aware of the deafening silence that surrounded him. He shivered slightly, not entirely from the cold. The key to the cells was hanging from a hook at the end of the room and he grabbed it before he could really think about what he was doing.

He made his way down the long isle of cells and thought of the many people that he had sent here without a second thought over the years. Alexius, the mayor of Crestwood, and countless others who had earned a stay here. Crestwood's former mayor had died over a year ago, having hanged himself with his own shirt. Now there was only one remaining resident. Gereon Alexius was housed in the last cell on the left of the long row of cells. He sat awake on his small bedroll, his legs curled under him and a thin blanket draped around his shoulders.

Rasler was unpleasantly surprised to see the change that had come over Alexius. In just three years he had seemed to age considerably, his thin grey hair barely covered his head, and the wrinkles covering his face seemed innumerable. Dark circles formed under his eyes, and Rasler wondered if he had even slept since the day of his sentence.

"Inquisitor Trevelyan." Alexius said raising his head to look at the man who had sentenced him so many years ago. "How kind of you to visit me. I apologize for not greeting you properly."

"If I recall correctly, the last time you greeted me "properly", it led to the events that led you here."

"Is that why you have come? To remind me of my sins? Because I assure you Inquisitor, there is nothing you can you say to me that I have not said to myself a thousand times over the years."

Rasler held his tongue. Condemning a broken man would benefit no one, and he had to remind himself his true purpose of coming here. Before he could rethink his decisions he unlocked the door to the cell and pulled it open. Alexius made no move for the door, only stared at the younger man with a tired curiosity.

"Would you care to take a walk?"

Alexius raised an eyebrow in curiosity, analyzing if this was some kind of trick or trap. "Do you not fear I will try to kill you and make my escape the moment I leave this cell?"

"I'll take my chances." Rasler said, holding out a hand to help the older man up. After a moment of hesitation, Alexius took his outstretched hand, rising heavily to his feet.

"I cannot tell if you are very brave or very foolish." Alexius said, following Rasler into the hall.

"I'm still not sure of that myself."

They made the long trek to the courtyard and a blast of icy wind met them as they stepped outside. Snow had begun to fall, just barely sticking to the ground. Their feet left footprints in the fresh powder as they walked around the deserted courtyard. Alexius did not seem to mind the cold. In fact he seemed to relish the first breath of fresh air he had had in over three years. He stared up at the sky and closed his eyes, taking in the cold night air.

"I had almost forgotten what the sky looked like." He said more to himself than to Rasler.

Rasler felt a stab of sympathy for the man. He had lost everything; his wife, his son, his title even his freedom. It took a great deal of effort for Rasler to remind himself why exactly he had placed the man in prison. Yet criminal or not, he was still a broken man who had lost everything he had ever known and loved. The two men stared wordlessly up at the sky for several minutes, each lost in his thoughts.

"Tell me Inquisitor," Alexius said breaking the silence. "It has been three years since you sent me to rot in the dungeons, and I have not so much as seen a glimpse of you since then. Why did you suddenly feel the desire to prompt this reunion?"

Rasler thought for a moment, unsure of exactly how to answer. "Things have...changed somewhat since then. And while I am not sure exactly how to feel about it, I have been having a hard time seeing your actions as I did before. I do not condone your actions, but I have developed somewhat of an understanding of them."

"Ah, the birth of the young Trevelyan. The guards have spoken of nothing else for quite some time."

Rasler gave a stiff nod, still cautious of giving too much information to the other man.

"I remember the first time I held Felix in my arms, I had never felt such a storm of emotions. I was beside myself with joy, but also overcome with fear. I was still a young man then, and I was determined not to make the same mistakes with my son that my father made with me. I wanted to be a good father, I wanted to raise him to be a better man than me. I wanted to protect him at all costs."

Rasler remained silent, but nodded his head in agreement. He had felt all these things and more when he had first laid eyes on Aria. No words could describe the emotions he felt when he held her in his arms, or the joy he felt when she looked at him and smiled. The idea that there was anything that could take that away from him filled him with overwhelming fear, and if he was honest; anger. He would face the Maker himself if Rasler thought He would pose a threat to his infant child.

"When Felix became ill," Alexius continued "I swore I would do anything to save him. The Blight would not take my son, he was too noble to meet such an end." He looked at Rasler, his pale eyes misted with tears. "Parents are not supposed to outlive their children."

Rasler took of his cloak and wrapped it around the older man. Alexius nodded his thanks and clenched it around his shoulders.

"What is her name?" Alexius asked staring up at the sky.

"Aria." Rasler responded, no longer feeling any threat from this man.

"Keep her close Inquisitor. No living person will ever hold your heart the way that she will."

The two men stood in silence for several minutes, watching the snow fall around them. Rasler wasn't sure how his life had gotten to a point where he was seeking fatherly advice from a convicted criminal and magister rather than his own father. But whatever the situation, he found himself grateful for the other man's company.

It was Alexius who finally broke the silence. "Come, Inquisitor. We best get me back before half the castle sees me and assumes I am attempting to sacrifice you."

Rasler gave a half-hearted smile and the two made their way back to the dungeons.

Nearly half an hour went by before Rasler finally made it back to his chambers. Josephine stood by the window cradling Aria in her arms. She looked up and gave him that smile that was reserved for him alone.

"There you are. I was about to send out a search party."

Rasler smiled as he crossed the room and planted a soft kiss on her cheek. "I apologize love, I couldn't sleep." Aria made a soft squealing noise making Rasler smile. He gently smoothed her dark hair with his hand. "It seems I wasn't the only one."

"It seems someone was not content with the feeding she received just hours ago. Her appetite rivals your's, Darling."

Rasler couldn't help but smile. "That's my girl."

He wrapped his arms around Josephine's waist and they stood staring out the window at the falling snow, and Rasler felt himself feeling grateful for all that he had been blessed with. Even when those blessings came from unexpected places."


	2. Leliana

Aria Trevelyan had been tossing and turning in her bed for what felt like an eternity. No matter what she did, she just couldn't seem to get tired enough to fall asleep. Even after her mother had agreed to let her stay up an hour past her usual bedtime, and her father had read her three stories, she was still wide awake. She knew that her parents had long since gone to bed as did half of Skyhold.

Her stomach gave a small growl and she suddenly realized that she was in fact quite hungry. Her mother often compared her appetite to her father's and she always felt a small sense of pride whenever someone compared one of her qualities to her father. While she had the looks of her mother, her sense of adventure and sense of humor were both qualities she had inherited from her father. Indeed whenever they were together her mother would swear that she in fact had two children rather than just the one.

Aria sighed in frustration and unceremoniously threw the blankets off of her. Maybe a midnight snack would calm her enough to be able to fall asleep. She slowly crept to her door and peered out into the long hallway. While there was no spoken rule voiced by her parents that said she could not be alone in the keep after dark, she would rather not be on the receiving end of one of her mother's famous lectures.

Seeing the hallway deserted, she carefully stepped into the hallway and headed in the direction of the kitchen. The keep was deserted, most of the inhabitants having retired some hours ago. Aria felt a pang of jealousy, how she wished she was among those able to find sleep so easily. She turned the corner and collided with a dark figure.

She mumbled an apology and looked up to see who she had bumped into and found herself staring into the face of Leliana.

"Here now." Leliana said staring down at the daughter of her closest friend. "What are you doing out of bed at this hour?"

Aria sighed inwardly. If there was a chance that she would get away with being out of bed at this hour it had just vanished. Out of all the people she could run into.

"I couldn't sleep." She said stating the obvious. "I got hungry."

A small smile came over Leliana's face. She always marveled at how much Aria resembled her mother. Even now with her messy hair and guilty expression on her face, there was no mistaking who's child she was.

"Well, it so happens I was headed to the kitchen myself. I could use some company, if you are interested."

Aria smiled and nodded her head, pleasantly surprised at the turn of events. "We won't mention this to your mother." Leliana said as they made their way to the kitchen. "Maker knows what she will do should she find out I was an accomplice to your midnight excursion."

Aria nodded in agreement, only too happy to keep this between them. Truth be told, if she was going to get caught by anyone, she would prefer it to be Leliana. Aria had spent her whole life at Skyhold, and for as long as she could remember Leliana had been there. Her parents had always told her should she need help and they were unable to be there, she should seek out Leliana. Even now, Aria felt a sense of safety with the woman, she had a calming presence about her and Aria always enjoyed it when she was around.

Even though Leliana had been around for as long as she could remember, she could count on one hand the number of times they had spent alone, and she was excited for a rare chance to talk with her without any distractions. She told the best stories.

The two entered the abandoned kitchen and Aria sat on the long table usually used for food preparation by the cooks. She had never seen the kitchen so empty, and the shadows cast by the low burning candles gave the room a rather eerie appearance. She was especially grateful that she had run into Leliana who seemed to not notice the foreboding atmosphere.

"Ah-ha. It seems Cole has not yet been here." Leliana said from across the room. She came and sat next to Aria on the table and handed her one of two large sugar cookies she had recovered from the jar on the shelf.

Aria took it and smiled. These were her favorite, and while she knew that it was probably just her imagination, she liked to think that the cooks prepared these especially for her.

"Aedan will be most jealous when he finds out I had one of these without him." Leliana said, referring to her lover. "He has a sweet tooth to rival yours."

Aria smiled. She liked Aedan, he was funny. That must be why Leliana smiled whenever she was with him.

"Why don't you and Aedan have any children?" Aria asked innocently.

Leliana choked slightly. "I, well-I suppose, the timing...we've just never discussed it." Maker have mercy. She could discover any secret from any living person simply by talking to them, yet this seven year old child had her stumbling over her words.

"You should." Aria said taking another bite of her cookie. "I think you would be a good mother."

"Well, thank you." Leliana said offering a small smile. "I can only hope to be as good as your mother. She certainly raised a wonderful daughter."

Aria smiled and fell silent, lost in whatever thoughts concern the minds of children. Leliana stared at her thoughtfully. Indeed, if any child had ever made her consider having one of her own, it was this girl sitting next to her. She was easily the most well behaved child she has ever met, and Maker was she smart. On any given day Aria could be seen with her face buried in a book, even ones that were not assigned by her tutor. Rasler often stated that he was grateful beyond all measure that she had inherited her mother's brain.

Leliana had made it her personal mission to always keep an eye on the girl. Of course her own duties often required her to be elsewhere, but she had personally assigned some of her own men to watch over the girl when was unable to do so herself. While the gesture was probably unnecessary due to the whole of Skyhold making sure Aria was safe, it still put Leliana's mind at ease. She cared for the girl very deeply, and had watched her grow into the beautiful young woman sitting next to her.

Aria finished her cookie and brushed the crumbs off her hands and night dress.

"Feeling better?" Leliana asked. Aria nodded and gave a smile that quickly turned into a yawn.

Leliana smiled and rose from the table. "Come on, time to get you back to bed." Aria hopped off the table and followed Leliana out into the corridor.

"Remember," Leliana said stopping outside Aria's chambers. "there's no need to mention this to your mother. It will be our little secret."

Aria nodded in agreement and threw her arms around Leliana's waist in a hug that was impressively tight for a girl of her size. Leliana was surprised but returned the hug, feeling a smile spread across her face.

"Good night." Aria said cheerfully.

"Sleep well, Aria." Leliana said, waiting until the girl had closed her door before making her way back to her own chambers.

Aedan was still awake, he stood staring out of the large window with his hands resting on the window sill.

"There you are." He said, turning as she entered "I was just about to come looking for you."

She gave a small smile and crossed the room, wrapping her arms around him and planting a soft kiss on his lips.

"Have you been eating cookies?" He asked.

She looked into his eyes and the question escaped her mouth before she could fully stop herself.

"What do you think of having children?"

She burst out laughing at the look that came over her lover's face and gently kissed him again.

"I thought you just went to the kitchen." He asked in a voice that was somewhat higher than usual.

"Come my love, let's just go to sleep." She said taking his hand and leading him to their bed.


	3. Aedan

Aedan Cousland leaned against the brick wall over looking the garden of Skyhold, the place that had been his home for the last seven years. His double daggers were slung on the back of his light leather armor that he favored for combat. Even though he had just past his thirtieth-seventh name day, he looked as young as the day he had joined the Grey Wardens so many years ago.

He looked around at the various occupants of the Keep, never failing to marvel at how far the place had come since his arrival. Commander Cullen was surveying the soldiers in the sparring ring with his signature unreadable expression plastered on his face. The mage Vivienne, was having a heated discussion with the boy known as Cole, though rather or not Cole was actually a boy Aedan couldn't say with certainty. Josephine Trevelyan, formerly of house Montilyet, was greeting people at the main gate. Diplomats from Orlais judging from their outrageous attire and the disgusted expression on their faces.

Sitting on the stairs leading down to the garden with her nose in a book sat Aria Trevelyan, the daughter of Josephine and Rasler Trevelyan. Aedan had had dealings with both House Montilyet and House Trevelyan in his younger years. He even remembered meeting Rasler at one of his mother's famous parties. A pairing between these two houses was surprising to say the least, but anyone who saw them together could see that they were clearly made for each other.

And they could not have produced a more well behaved child. Aedan had meet Aria on several occasions and each time he couldn't help but smile when he thought of how many times his mother had begged him to behave in such a courteous manner in front of guests.

He closed his eyes as a soft, cool breeze blew through his short straw colored hair, carrying with it the smell of the Keep's various flowers and greenery. It was moments like this that he was reminded of his home in Highever. It had been over seventeen years since his escape the night Arl Howe had betrayed and murdered his family. But this smell brought him back to a simpler time before Howe's betrayal, before the Blight, before he was a Grey Warden or the Hero of Ferelden. Back to a time when he was just Aedan Cousland, youngest son of Bryce and Eleanor Cousland.

His brother Fergus was now the Teryn of Highever and ran the estate just as efficiently as their father had. He had never remarried, still haunted by the death of his beloved wife and son. Nobody had the heart or the stomach to approach Fergus about the matter.

Aedan felt a pang of guilt as he thought of his brother. He did not write to him as often as he should, he knew that Fergus worried for him and they were the only family they had left. Maybe he could convince Leliana to travel with him to Highever in the winter. Maker knows they could all use some down time after all they had been through throughout their lives.

"You're the Hero of Fereldan." Said a small voice behind Aedan. He turned and saw Aria standing there with the book she had been reading held to her chest. Her eyes stared up at him filled with awe and excitement. He had met this girl several times throughout his years at Skyhold, but his true identity had never been a topic of discussion. Indeed, it seemed to be an unspoken agreement between the elder members of the Keep to never discuss any of the wars they had seen in front of the children who called Skyhold home. There was no need to darken their present with stories of the past. His eyes wandered to the title _The Fifth Blight: The Rise And Fall of The Wardens._

He smiled down at the girl. "It seems I have been discovered."

"Is it true?" She asked excitedly. "You traveled with King Alistair when he was a warden and helped him take back the throne?"

Aedan couldn't help but smile. "Don't remind him of that. I don't think he has ever truly forgiven me for that one."

Aria gave an excited smile and Aedan was reminded of his nephew Oren. His eyes always lit up the same way whenever he became exited. Aedan remembered the look on his face when he had told Oren that his mother had granted permission for him to learn to ride a horse. The excitement in Oren's eyes when Aedan had taken his hand and led him to the stables was one that he would cherish forever.

A deep intense pain wrenched his heart when he thought of his young nephew who's life was cut short. How many times had Aedan lay in bed at night wishing that he could trade places with the boy? Oren didn't deserve to have his life cut short, and Aedan wasn't entirely sure he deserved to be the one to survive. He had been selfish and entitled in his youth, and truth be told he had no appreciation of what he had been given. Oren on the other hand was innocent and more generous in his young age than Aedan considered himself to be now. What was is it about children that made all adults seem selfish in comparison?

"And Leliana was with you?" Aria said her voice dropping to a whisper.

Aedan smiled. He knew that Aria adored Leliana, and that at least gave them some common ground.

"Yes, she was. As a matter of fact she saved my life."

"Really?"

"Really. I know that the stories say I am the hero for taking the final blow against the Archdemon, but she saved me from far worse things than a dragon. If not for her I would not have found the strength to even reach the Archdemon. They should be singing her praises not mine."

Aria smiled as she heard that the woman she considered to be her hero was in fact just that, and clutched the book tighter to her chest.

"Aedan? I'm sorry about your mama and papa."

Aria turned to leave and Aedan stared after her for several seconds before calling after her. She stopped when she heard her name and turned around. Aedan reached behind his neck and pulled off the medallion containing the crest of House Cousland. He had given it to Oren on his last name day, saying that as long as he wore it he had the protection of House Cousland behind him. He had taken it off of his body that last night at Highever and he had worn it ever since.

He latched the chain behind Aria's neck and smiled at her delighted expression.

"This medallion contains the power of Highever," he said bowing slightly. "As long as you wear it, you have the protection and friendship of House Cousland."

"It's beautiful!" She said happily.

"A lovely gift for a lovely lady."

"Do I hear correctly? It seems I have competition."

They looked up to see Leliana standing a few feet away, her hands on her hips with a playful look in her eyes.

"You know in some countries, giving a woman jewelry is considered to be a dowry."

"If that were true in this country Love, you and I should have been betrothed a dozen times already."

"And yet you have yet to make an honest woman of me." She walked over to him and placed a kiss on his cheek causing Aria to screw up her face.

"Yuck! You two are as bad as mama and papa."

"It seems your competition has withdrawn." Aedan said winking at Aria.

Aria was silent for a moment, her mind trying to take in what was supposed to happen. "This means you can get married now." She said happily.

Leliana blushed. "I do not think-"

"Maybe she's right." Aedan said thoughtfully.

Leliana's mouth fell open. "You can't be serious!"

"Give me one reason as to why not." Aedan said smiling.

The normally composed woman was now tripping over her words, although that was nothing new when it came it came to Aedan. Now however, she was truly struggling to find the right words.

"We have never even discussed it."

"We also never discussed having our lives turned upside down for one war or another but that seems to be a common occurrence."

Leliana stared at him for a moment. "You're being serious?"

"I am." Aedan took her hands in his and looked into her eyes.

"Leliana, I love you. I don't know what the Maker or whoever has in store for us, but whatever future awaits me I want you by my side."

"And I want to be there." Leliana replied softly.

"Is that your way of accepting?"

Leliana scoffed. "Do not criticize my acceptance when your proposal was no more thrilling."

"Next time I'll incorporate a dragon." He said placing a soft kiss on her lips to cut off any reply.

Aedan looked at Aria and gave a small bow. "I should thank you My Lady. Without you, Leliana might have continued to resist my charm."

He could practically feel Leliana rolling her eyes next to him.

"Can I tell Mama?" Aria asked excitedly and without waiting for a reply she turned and ran into the keep calling for her mother at the top of her lungs.

"Well, all of Skyhold will know within the hour."

"I suppose that means it's too late to change my mind." Leliana said jokingly.

"Much."

"Good." Leliana smiled and pulled him into her covering his mouth with hers. He had no way of knowing, but this was the moment she had been secretly hoping for for years. And while the execution was less than magical, she could not hope for anything more at this moment.

She must remember to thank Aria later.


	4. Cullen

**A/N: Hey all. First of all I want to thank everyone who has supported and kept reading this story through all of its issues. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to have you guys decide who you would like to see in the next chapters rather than have me just throw them at you, so if you have someone you are dying to have our little Aria meet feel free to tell me. It can be anyone as famous or obscure as you want. Hope to hear from you guys!**

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Commander Cullen stared down at the reports scattered around his desk and sighed heavily. Was there no place in Thedas that did not require Inquisition soldiers to solve their problems? Lord so and so needed soldiers to protect his farmers because clearly his own men were too important to attend to such a mundane task, while Lady so and so requested soldiers to escort her to Orlais because her men had the combined intelligence of a beetle. Cullen ran his fingers through his hair and turned his attention to the chess board he always kept close by. He had been stuck in the same position for two days, it seems that the had managed to outwit himself at last. Even when he had no other opponent but himself, he still enjoyed the game. It provided a much needed distraction from deciding what requests to honor and which to use as kindling for his fireplace.

A sharp tap on the door interrupted his thoughts and he groaned inwardly at the distraction.

"Enter." He said in a voice that could be mistaken for a growl.

The door opened and whoever he expected to see it was not the small girl in the pigtails that entered his office.

"Lady Aria." He said bowing slightly.

Aria resisted the urge to sigh out loud. She really hated it when people put "lady" in front of her name. Luckily she had been graced with her mother's tact and remained poised.

"Is my father not here? Blackwall said that he had come to see you."

"I'm afraid you've just missed him."

This time Aria could not contain the sigh. She had wandered all over the keep looking for her father and no matter who she asked they all gave her a different answer.

"Is there something I can assist you with?"

Aria held up the small wooden doll she held in her hands, the head had been completely separated from its body.

"Papa is the only one who can fix her. She's my favorite, Iron Bull brought her back for me when he came back from Kirkwall. He said she was the last one left and she was lonely and that I had to take care of her."

"Well, I can't say I have ever attempted to reverse a decapitation, but I would certainly be willing to try if you'd like."

Aria smiled and nodded and handed the dismembered doll to Cullen. He examined it for a moment and gave a small smile.

"We may be in luck. I think I have something that may help our little friend here."

Aria sat in the chair in front of Cullen's desk as he rummaged around in the top drawer.

"My sister had a doll like this when were children. My brother would always take her away from my sister and do unpleasant things to her. I was always the one who would fix her. Mainly to stop my sister's insufferable wailing. Ah-ha." He pulled a small tube out of his drawer and carefully twisted the cap off. He placed a small dab of the contents where the head should connect to the end and placed her head carefully in the center.

Aria watched Cullen and a small smile came to her face. Cullen was a big man, and some considered him scary, so she found it amusing that this big strong man was holding this small wooden doll in his hands. Her eyes wandered over his desk and stopped on the untouched chessboard.

"What's this?" She asked pointing to the board.

"That is a chessboard. I often challenge myself to keep my mind sharp. This time however it seems I have succeeded in thoroughly stumping myself."

"Why do you play by yourself?"

"Because there is no greater enemy than yourself."

"How do you play?"

Cullen carefully placed the doll on his desk and opened another drawer pulling out a smaller board.

"Would you care to learn while we wait for our friend here to recover?"

Aria nodded in excitement as Cullen cleared off his desk and set up the board. "Now, think of your pieces as your army. Just like any army, their job is to protect their leader. In this case your king." He carefully pointed out each piece and explained their position in the army, where they could go and their strengths and weaknesses.

"That's pretty much the whole of it. Are you ready to play?"

Aria nodded and Cullen smiled sitting in his char on the other side of his desk.

"Now I should warn you, I have no intention of going easy on you simply because this is your first time."

Aria gave him a look that looked remarkably like her father when they played this game. "You're on." She said moving her first piece.

They played for the next hour and Cullen's previous threat seemed to be unnecessary. Aria was doing quite well on her own, asking only a few questions. Finally, a victorious grin came across her face as she moved her knight into position.

"It seems you need a stronger army."

Cullen stared down at the board in surprise then started to laugh.

"It seems that I do. Well played. You should ask your father for a game, he may finally have found someone that can best him."

Aria's chest swelled with pride as it always did when anyone compared her to father. She didn't know why exactly, but she knew that her parents were important and well respected. She knew that her father had saved a lot of lives a long time ago, but nobody seemed to want to talk about it around her.

"Well, it seems our friend has made a full recovery." Cullen said handing the doll back to Aria.

Aria smiled and expressed her thanks before turning her attention back to Cullen's chess game he had been playing with himself. She stared at the board intently and moved the rook over three spaces.

"You win." She said cheerfully exiting his office.

Cullen stared at the bored bewildered. How had that simple move avoided his notice for two days? Perhaps that was the problem, it was so simple that it was easily overlooked. He chuckled slightly to himself, it seemed Aria had been blessed with her father's tactical ability as well.

"Well played." He said, not referring to himself.


	5. Josephine

**A/N: Hey all! Thank you for your continued reading and support, it means the world to me. And thanks for your suggestions! **

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Josephine Trevelyan stood on the battlements overlooking Skyhold, reveling in the first breath of fresh air she had taken all day. She had been cooped up in her office all day answering letters and greeting diplomats from all over Thedas and by midday she was ready to tear her hair out. She had told her assistant that for the next hour she was going to be mysteriously absent should anyone inquire about her whereabouts.

Now as she took in the fresh mountain air, she was already feeling better and more like herself. She was just about to return to her office when an ear splitting yell reach her years.

"Mama!"

Well, so much for remaining hidden. She turned to greet her daughter but her smile was replaced with a look of slight annoyance. Aria's hair, which Josephine had spent the better part on an hour preparing this morning, now stuck up at odd angles and bits of straw were seen clinging to the dark mess.

"Sweet Maker, what has happened to your hair?"

Aria smiled in response, looking up at her with the pale green eyes she had inherited from her father. "Sera said that there was treasure hidden in the hay in the stables."

Josephine groaned inwardly. Sera, she should have known. It was not that she did not trust Sera to keep her daughter safe, it was the safety of her daughter's civility when they were together that concerned her. Josephine spun her finger around and Aria turned around obediently.

"And tell me," Josephine said as she began untangling Aria's hair. "What was this treasure that was so valuable that it required you to roll around in the straw like a new born foal?"

"Dagna's hammer!" Aria said excitedly.

Josephine lowered her head and shook it slightly.

"Dear, what have we told you about you about stealing from our friends?"

"_I _didn't steal it Mama, Sera did! I just found it again."

"The same rules still apply, Darling." Josephine replied, putting the final touches on Aria's hair. "There. Do try and keep it clean until dinner."

Aria hugged her mother tightly around the waist. "I will Mama."

Whatever annoyance she felt towards her child only a moment ago vanished instantly and she placed an affectionate kiss on the top on of her head.

"Now, why don't you go to the kitchens and see if there are any cookies? And for Andraste's sake, do ask for permission."

Aria skipped off towards the Keep, waving to the soldiers keeping watch on the battlements. They bowed in response, smiling even after she had disappeared inside.

Josephine watched her retreating figure, realizing how truly blessed she was. She had been blessed with a beautiful daughter, and if her only flaw was that she was unable to keep her hair presentable for more than a few breaths then Josephine counted herself lucky beyond all measure. But Maker, where had the time gone? Aria was seven years old, but Josephine was fairly certain she had just taken her first steps not too long ago. She still remembered the moment she found out she was pregnant with Aria, the moment of sheer joy and happiness, and yes slight terror, she had not experienced since her wedding day.

Josephine had been feeling sick for several weeks before Rasler had finally insisted that she go to a healer. She had kept insisting that she was fine but after his constant pestering she finally agreed if only to get him to calm down. She had been feeling very irritable and if she heard him bring up the subject one more time she was in danger of maiming him.

The ancient healer had tried to give Josephine several tonics and remedies thinking that this was nothing more than a simple case of the flu. But after everything had made her feel nauseous simply by the smell, the healer had given her a very different diagnosis.

"Lady Josephine, I'm afraid that you will be feeling sick for quite some time yet."

"Excuse me?" Josephine asked incredulously. "You mean to tell me you have been a healer longer than I have been breathing and you cannot even cure me of a simple flu?"

To her surprise the older woman simply smiled. "My Lady, you do not have the flu. You are with child."

For the first time since Josephine could remember, she was speechless. Had she heard this woman correctly?

"I beg your pardon? With child? Are you certain?"

"Absolutely My Lady. Allow me to be the first to congratulate you."

Josephine had left the infirmary almost in a trance. Her hand absently went to her stomach, unable to feel anything but love for her unborn child. A million thoughts coursed through her mind. Would her child be healthy? Would she be a good mother? What would she name it if if was a boy? Or a girl? What if it was twins? Did she have a preference? Did Rasler?

Rasler. She needed to find him and tell him! Thankfully she did not have to look very hard. He was in the sparring ring across the courtyard sparring with Cullen. She smiled as she approached the ring but it faded almost instantly. A small, frightening thought entered the back of her mind? How would he take the news? Would he be as excited as she was? Would he be angry?

Don't be ridiculous! She chided herself. Rasler was not that sort of man. But what sort of man would he be when he found out he was going to be a father?

She stopped in front of the ring and watched the as the two men circled each other. Rasler caught her eye and smiled.

"Feeling better Love?"

"A little." She said truthfully.

"Were they able to determine what was wrong?" He asked deflecting Cullen's attack and counter attacking.

"Yes."

"It's not contagious is it?" Cullen asked stepping backwards to avoid Rasler's forward attack. "I can hardly afford to be bed ridden with the flu."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry." Josephine said somewhat amused. "It's not the flu."

"It's not dangerous is it?" Rasler asked concerned.

"I'm pregnant."

"You're what?" Rasler asked stopping dead in his tracks. He was rewarded with a powerful hit from Cullen's shield knocking him flat on his back.

Rasler groaned and Cullen offered him his hand. "My apologies My Lord." He said unable to keep the amused smirk off of his face. Rasler got shakily to his feet his hand clutched to the side of his head. He ignored the pain and turned his attention to Josephine.

"Pregnant? Are you certain?"

Josephine bit her lip and nodded. For a moment Rasler stood frozen, his expression unreadable. For a moment she feared that he would not react at all.

A huge smile came across his face and before she could respond he had rushed over and wrapped his arms around her. She returned his embrace, a huge wave of relief washing over her.

"This is wonderful." He said happily.

"What's wonderful?" Came a curious voice from behind them.

Iron Bull stood a few feet away, confused as to what could be cause for celebration when Rasler had just been thoroughly beaten by Cullen.

"It seems Ser Lordybritches' parts work properly." Came Sera's crude reply. "They're gonna have a kid ya?"

"Did I hear correctly?" Dorian asked appearing from the direction of the garden. "There's going to be a bouncing bundle of crying baby flesh in the future? We simply must celebrate!"

"I'll break out the drinks." Iron Bull said happily.

"Name it after me ya?" Sera said chasing after Iron Bull.

Rasler smiled after his companions. "I think they're excited."

"What about you?" Josephine asked taking his hand.

He pressed his forehead to hers. "This is the happiest day of my life."

Josephine found herself agreeing wholeheartedly as she stood in his arms, forgetting the fear that gripped her only moments ago and allowing herself for the second time in her life to feel blissfully happy.

"My Lady!" Josephine's thoughts were interrupted as her assistant called to her.

Josephine turned her attention to the young Elven woman who bowed in apology. "The messenger from Antiva has arrived, and he has- ah, requested your presence in a timely manner."

Josephine nodded and the woman hurried back into the keep. Josephine sighed, taking one last breath of fresh air before turning and returning to her work. Though the idea of leaving this much needed distraction was particularly npt thrilling, she felt better than she had felt before and somehow knew that no matter what happened throughout the rest of her day that nothing was going to spoil her good mood.


	6. Dorian

**A/N: As always thank you for reading, and reviews are always appreciated. **

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The sun was just setting behind the mountains overlooking Skyhold. The normally clear blue sky was replaced by a brilliant orange and red glow. The courtyard was normally bustling at this time of night, with the merchants taking down their wares for the night and soldiers preparing for the night watch. Tonight however, the courtyard stood abandoned.

All of Skyhold had gathered into the main hall of the Keep. A half dozen candles lined the tables and the normally blood red drapery had been replaced with lace. The music being played could be heard from miles around as well as the celebration taking place. A large area had been cleared and couples were floating on and off the newly formed dance floor. Anyone who was witnessing the event would wonder what could possibly be cause for such a celebration.

Indeed, many who were in attendance believed that this day was one that would never arrive. The day Aedan Cousland, the Hero of Ferelden, finally married Leliana, Spymaster to the Inquisition. Any who followed the story of the Hero knew that the two had been involved even before the Blight had ended. After all this time many believed that the two were simply content to be together without being tied down.

There were some in attendance who had known Aedan Cousland in his youth, and had believed that he would never marry at all. He had been quite the ladies man when he was younger, and had always expressed that he had no desire to have a ball and chain for the rest of his life. He was always content to find his next tumble in the hay before moving on and finding the next willing participant. Many who were present had attended just to see if the rumors that Aedan Cousland had been tamed were true.

They were pleasantly surprised to see that not only were the rumors true, but the way Aedan looked at his bride even from across the room proved that this woman had truly had captured his heart.

Recognizable faces from all across Thedas' history were present. King Alistair and Queen Anora had traveled all the way from Denerim. While it was obvious Anora was less than pleased at the trip, everyone knew that Alistair would not miss this day. Alistair often stated that Aedan was the best friend he had ever had and he would not miss the chance to see Aedan become happily miserable in marriage.

The Champion of Kirkwall, Garret Hawke was also in attendance. Isabela was also present and had already given him several speeches about "not getting any ideas" from this affair and that she would rather "be buried than married." Hawke seemed to have no desire to go against her wishes and seemed to find the idea of marriage terrifying. Hawke and Isabela were two free spirits that were perfectly content with a life without marriage.

Other faces from Aedan's past were also present. Nathaniel Howe had come all the way from the Free Marches to see his friend on this day. Oghren was currently having a contest with Iron Bull to see who could drink the most and after four pints each they were both still holding strong. Felsi was keeping a close eye on him all the while trying to keep their son Tevhen from following in his father's footsteps and drinking himself into a stupor. Velanna and Shianni were having a heated discussion about whose background was more beneficial to elves with Sera piping in that they were both "too elfy." Zevran made a comment that they only way to truly know someone was in the bedroom and had happily offered his services. His answer came in the form of Velanna shooting a well placed shock bolt in his direction.

It seemed that everyone had come out to the affair. Aedan and Leliana had affected many lives throughout their travels and they all seemed to want to be a part of the celebration.

None of this would have been possible however without Josephine who had planned and organized the entire affair.

"Everything is wonderful Josie." Leliana said embracing her friend.

"Are you sure?" Josephine asked nervously. "The caterers sent the wrong-"

"Everything is perfect Josephine." Aedan said cutting off her response. "Well, except for one thing."

"What?" Josephine said slightly panicked.

"Your dancing." Aedan said pointing to Rasler. "I've seen more precise steps from a Hurlock."

"That's rich coming from a Ferelden. Your dancing looks like a kitchen maid who has just seen a mouse."

"Shall we settle this like gentlemen?" Aedan said with a smirk.

"Please tell me you two are not about to have a dance off." Josephine said.

"I have a better idea." Rasler said offering his hand to Leliana. "Why don't we let the ladies decide who captured the better dancer?"

"Excellent idea." Aedan said holding his hand out to Josephine. "Would you care to dance My Lady?"

"You two are impossible." Leliana said accepting Rasler's hand.

"You get no ideas." Aedan said leading Josephine onto the dance floor.

"Trust me Cousland, your bride terrifies me far too much to be anything less than the perfect gentleman."

"I don't know. I fear your wife could be quite terrifying if provoked."

"Only when pregnant."

"Have no fear Darling." Josephine said with a slight smile. "The direction your mouth is taking you, there is no chance of that happening again any time soon."

Aria Trevelyan said in a big chair at one of the tables, swinging her legs and smiling. She loved when Mama planned these events, they always had the best cake, and tonight there were over a dozen different kinds. She hoped that more of Mama and Papa's friends got married soon.

None of them would be as pretty as Leliana though, she knew that for a fact. She watched as Leliana danced with her father and wondered if there was ever a more beautiful bride. That was probably impossible, she thought, well except maybe Mama.

"Is this seat taken?"

Aria looked over and saw Dorian standing next to the vacant seat next to her. She shook her head and he gratefully took a seat.

"Sweet Andraste your mother knows how to plan an event. There are twenty different varieties of cheese, I wasn't aware that so many existed."

"The white one smells." Aria replied remembering the unpleasant aroma.

"From Tevinter no doubt. I tell you everything that comes from Tevinter has an odor."

"But you're Tevinter!" Aria said.

"I most certainly am not. I am a Dwarf, hatched in Orzammar."

"Then why are you so tall?"

"Vegetables my dear girl. Always remember to eat your vegetables."

Aria giggled. "You're silly."

Dorian grabbed a handful of the flowers sitting on the vase on the table and began stringing them together. "My mother used to drag me to these events weekly when I was a boy. I tell you though, none of those events compared to this. Your mother truly has a gift."

"I hope I am special as Mama one day." She said watching her mother dance with Aedan.

"Oh my dear girl, you already are!"

"Really?"

"Of course! I knew that from moment I held you in my arms as a babe. You know that it's because of me that you have your name?"

"You named me, Dorian?"

"Well, your father, creatively impotent as he is, wanted to name you Jane. I protested by saying 'Are ya kidding me? That's a terrible name!'"

Aria laughed.

Dorian finished the ring of flowers he had been crafting and placed it carefully on Aria's head. "I knew that such a special girl deserved a special name. One that people would speak of fondly. And see? I was right, as usual."

Aria smiled and placed a hand on the crown of flowers. "Thank you Ser Dorian."

Dorian rose from his chair and bowed. "Would you care to dance My Lady?" He said offering her his hand.

Aria nodded and took his hand, following him to the dance floor.

"Now, I don't know what barbaric steps your father has been teaching you. But allow me to demonstrate the way a true gentleman dances."

"I heard that Mage." Rasler said a few feet away.

"As you should." Dorian replied. "Someone needs to culture the poor girl."

Dorian began leading Aria across the dance floor, thinking to himself how thoroughly pleased he was to have this young girl in his life. He had almost given up hope that there was anything truly good left in the world until Aria's parents had walked into his life. This was the closest he had ever had to a true family, and he was truly grateful to be a part of it.


	7. Cole

**A/N: Wow! I got so many requests and suggestions and I will definitely get around to them all. When I started this story I wasn't sure what to expect and you guys have been unbelievably kind and supportive. Again thank you so much and keep your ideas coming!**

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Cole sat on the railing of the top floor of the tavern, looking down unnoticed at the assembled patrons. He liked watching them, and liked it even better when they could not watch him back. People came in here day after day, looking for a drink or a game of Wicked Grace to help them with one problem or another. They wanted something to help them destress at the end of a long day. Some sought to help to ease the pain of an unknown trial by drowning it at the bottom of a pint. Most however, were simply looking for something to help them forget.

_Forget. _

Cole was good at making people forget. And he was good at helping people. But it seemed that no matter how many people he helped, or how many people he helped forget, there was always someone who needed help, someone else who was hurting. There was always never ending pain no matter how much good there was in the world. Yet Cole would continue to help them. No matter how many people there were, he would keep helping them from the shadows, never letting them know who or what was responsible for the passing of their pain.

A distant scream interrupted his thoughts. He sensed it rather than heard it. It was distant, probably too far away for anyone to hear because of the thunder from the dying storm. Cole tuned into the sound until he could find where it was coming from. It seemed to be coming from the closed off area of the keep that was currently undergoing construction. He gracefully jumped from the railing landing unnoticed on the floor of the crowded tavern. He left the tavern and hurried off to the closed off area of the keep.

The rain had finally stopped coming down, but the sky was still covered in dark clouds promising that more was soon on the way. The oversized hat that Cole always wore was pulled low over his eyes as he crossed the courtyard. He liked it that way, that way people couldn't really see him even if he allowed them to see him. He jumped over the gate that was meant to discourage unauthorized visitors. He searched the area looking for the source the painful scream he has heard. A small figure at the base of the north wall caught his attention and he hurried over.

Aria Trevelyan, Rasler and Josephine's daughter sat with her knees to her chest holding her left elbow and rocking back and forth. He approached her and knelt down next to her. She looked over as he allowed himself to become visible to her.

"Are you hurt?" He asked.

She nodded and showed him her elbow. A large cut ran from her elbow halfway up her arm.

"What happened?" He asked her.

"I was climbing on the wall but the rocks were slippery and I fell."

"I thought Josephine forbid you from climbing the walls."

"She forbid me from climbing the main walls. She didn't say I couldn't climb these ones."

Cole picked the young girl up and carried her towards the infirmary. Aria didn't say a word, but the occasional sniffle or hiccup could be heard from the small figure in his arms. She was light in his arms, and Cole could feel the gentleness coming from her. She was not like most people, she was always looking to help rather than to be helped. She was unselfish and genuinely kind even to strangers.

The old healer in the infirmary rushed over when Cole entered the door.

"Poor Dear, what happened?"

"She fell. She's hurt." Cole said sitting the girl down on of the nearby beds.

"Poor Girl." The healer said looking at Aria's bloodied elbow. "I suppose you were climbing on the walls again."

Aria sniffled and nodded slightly.

"Well, I won't be the one to tell your mother. Maker knows she is under enough stress with the arrival of Divine Victoria within the week. She will no doubt be suspicious when she sees the bandage though. Then I am afraid you are on your own."

She went off towards the far wall and began rummaging around in the cabinet.

"Don't disappear." Aria said looking at Cole. "Will you stay with me?"

Cole was surprised. He had only ever been _asked _to stay one other time that he could remember. That was after Haven and her father had asked him to stay despite protests from some of his companions. Her father was a nice man.

"Yes." He answered, surprised to find that he was glad to do so. He sat on the bed next to her and she wrapped her arms around him. He made no reaction at first. He had seen people do this countless times when watching them. They called it a "hug" and they seemed to do this to each other when they felt a strong emotion such as fear or sadness or happiness. Or when very drunk. This was the first hug Cole had ever received, and he found that he rather enjoyed the sensation. He mimicked her pose and wrapped his arms around her smaller frame.

The old woman came back with a bandage and a bottle containing a clear liquid.

"I'm afraid this may sting a little." The healer said opening the bottle.

Aria whimpered a little. Cole took off his hat and put it on her head which completely covered her eyes.

"Don't look." Cole said. "It's worse if you look at it."

The ancient healer put some of the strong smelling liquid on a cloth and began cleaning Aria's bloodied elbow. She hissed slightly but made no further complaint as the woman did her work.

"There." She said as she finished wrapping the bandage. "You'll have to come in tomorrow to change the bandage, but luckily infection hasn't had time to set in." She looked at Cole and gave a small nod. "Good on you for bringing her here."

Aria lifted Cole'a hat over her eyes and looked up at him. "Thank you for helping me Cole."

Cole looked at her and gave a small nod. Nobody had ever thanked him before, but then again he had never stuck around long enough for them to have a chance to do so. He was usually gone before anyone realized what happened. She handed him his hat back and he put on as he rose from the bed. He placed his hand on the side of her head and she grabbed his wrist.

"Please don't make me forget." She said sadly. "I don't want to forget you. I want to remember."

Cole paused unsure of what to do. He thought it best that people forget him once he had offered his assistance. He was never supposed to be seen unless he wanted people to see him. And rarely did he ever allow someone to remember him. The Inquisition had mostly been an exception over the last several years. But even then he had offered his assistance to his friends from the shadows. Never letting them know that he had helped them. That was the way he thought it was supposed to be. But this little girl was asking him to let her remember him. As he stared down as this young girl, for the first time in his memory he realized that maybe it would be nice to be remembered.

He removed his hand from her head and offered a rare smile. Aria jumped off the bed and took his hand.

"Will you go with me to talk see Mama?" She asked.

Cole's smile vanished. "Do I have to let her see me?" He asked nervously. "She scares me when she is angry."

Aria sighed. "Why do you and Papa always try to disappear when Mama gets upset?" She asked leading Cole by hand towards the keep.


	8. Varric

Varric Tethras stepped into the in the fresh air of Skyhold and took a deep breath. He had been shut away in his study since midday painfully working out the details of his next book. His publisher had been hounding him for a month to complete the project and Varric decided that he was just amused enough at his publisher's distress to start working on it. This was the first clear day Skyhold had seen after nearly a week of rain and the occupants of Skyhold were all out enjoying the fresh twilight air.

Varric crossed his arms and cracked his neck and let his eyes roam over the various occupants of Skyhold. After spending years here he knew almost everyone not just by name but also their stories as well.

Blackwall, the renegade Warden turned hero of the Inquisition was chopping wood for the older citizens of Skyhold.

_The lone wolf finally found his home with a new pack..._

Cole sat on the brick wall overlooking the garden, watching the people pass by and listening for ways to help.

_The visitor form another realm was always ready to help from the shadows, never asking for anything in return..._

Sitting in the Gazebo in Skyhold's garden sat Isabela, Leliana, and Josephine. The three sat around the table in a game of Wicked Grace and Varric couldn't help but smile at what Isabela would do to him if he even suggested that she had been domesticated.

_The three hens sat around clucking about their mates..._

Aedan Cousland, Garret Hawke, and Rasler Trevelyan, three of the most influential men in Thedas' history, stood on the battlements over looking Skyhold. Between the three of them they had saved more lives than anyone could count. Varric himself owed his life to Hawke and Rasler more times than he cared to remember. And hell, they _all_ owed their lives to Aedan, the Hero of Ferelden who stopped the blight and saved the world from becoming mindless monsters.

_The three lions stood strong, ever watchful of danger that would threaten the safety of those around them.._

Laughter echoed around the courtyard and Varric's eyes turned and rested on Aria Trevelyan. Aria was playing with Aedan's Mabari hound Mathias and Hawke's Mabari Ranger. The three were jumping in puddles left from the recent storm and Aria squealed in delight as the dogs shook their fur, showering her with droplets of water.

_The sun finally peaked through the clouds, proving that no matter how dark the storm, light would always shine again.._

Varric chuckled to himself as he watched the girl. Varric had never been much for kids, they smelled funny and made irritating noises. When he found out that Rasler was going to have a child with Josephine, Varric's enthusiasm was on the deader side of the spectrum. His outlook on the situation changed shortly after she was born however. He vividly remembered the first time he had been left alone when the then infant Aria.

"Varric, please." Josephine had pleaded with him. "The diplomat from Antiva has arrived and he cannot be left waiting. Just for a couple of minutes until Rasler has been released by Cullen."

"Come on Ruffles, most people wouldn't trust me to look after their fish and you want to leave me with your kid? Can't someone else do it? What about Leliana?"

"I do not have time to run around the entire keep looking for her." Josephine was already halfway out the door as she was speaking. "Just watch her and occasionally check to make sure that she is not growing a third arm and if she is then kindly alert the healer."

The door closed with a snap and Varric was left alone. He rubbed the back of his neck as he always did when he was under stress. He sighed and crossed the room to the small crib under the window. He rested his hands on the side and looked down at the baby girl inside. Aria looked up at him curiously for a moment before smiling up at him.

Aria held her hand up to him and he offered her his finger which she immediately grabbed a hold of and Varric felt himself smiling in spite of himself. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

"What should we call you?" He said, trying to think of a fitting nickname. The sun peaked from behind a cloud, covering Aria with rays of light making her pale green eyes seem almost transparent.

"What do you think of Sunshine?" He asked.

Aria sneezed and Varric couldn't help but chuckle. "Sunshine it is then."

Aria had certainly lived up to the name. She had a natural ability to brighten anyone's day and always seemed to be full of life and energy. She had certainly brightened his day on more than one occasion although he would never admit it out loud. He didn't have any nieces or nephews and he thanked the stone that Bartrand had never reproduced. But if Varric had to imagine a world where he was "Uncle Varric", he couldn't imagine that he could care about them more than he did for Aria. Of course that could very well be because the offspring in that scenario was Bartrand's but that was beside the point.

Aria came running across the courtyard followed closely by her Mabari playmates. She ran up the stairs and stopped on the landing, motioning for the dogs to sit. They did so obediently, their tongues hanging out panting happily.

"Hi, Varric." She said smiling.

"Hey, Sunshine." He said putting a hand on her head and messing up her wet hair. Aria giggled and pulled away, her hair now sticking up at odd angles.

"Did you finish your story?"

Varric thought for a moment. "You know, it's the damnedest thing. I was powering through when about halfway through I suddenly drew a complete blank. I was about ready to give the entire thing to Sera for target practice when I had an idea. I thought maybe I could find someone willing to sit and listen while I read and help me finish it."

"Can I help?" Aria asked excitedly.

"Oh, I don't want to bore you." Varric said turning to return to the keep.

"Please? Please? Please?"" Aria asked grabbing his wrist.

"Well," Varric said scratching his chin with his other hand. "Oh, alright. But if you fall asleep on me like your father did then I will be terribly offended."

"I won't I promise!"

Varric offered the girl his arm and she wrapped her arm around his smiling as he led her into the keep. "What is your story about?"

"Well, this one is about a handsome thief who has his heart stolen by a beautiful princess."

"Is it a true story?" Aria asked.

Varric grinned. "You bet it is Sunshine."


	9. Iron Bull

Iron Bull, or The Iron Bull officially, stepped into the heat of the midday sun. He had had a late night at the tavern with his chargers and he had not gone to sleep until dawn. He stretched and gave a yawn that could have easily been mistaken for a roar. He glanced around the Courtyard spotting little Aria over by the large tree on the north side of the yard. He looked on curiously as she jumped under the tree, each time stretching her arm over her head trying to reach the branch that was still well out her grasp no matter how high she jumped. Finally she threw her hands in the air in frustration and sat on the ground staring up at the branch with a look that could only be interrupted as loathing. Even with the scowl currently in place she was still the cutest little kid that Bull had ever seen, although his opinion was somewhat biased as Aria had been the only one of those children that he had actually liked.

The Chargers usually gave him a hard time by saying that after all the battles he had faced and the enemies he had defeated, the mighty Iron Bull had finally met his match with a seven year old human girl. Bull usually shot back that he would tear them all apart with his bare hands, but if he was honest with himself he knew they were right, at least to a point.

The kid was alright, and he often found himself keeping watch over her when no one was looking. He remembered the time he had almost ripped apart the apprentice healer when Bull had caught him standing over Aria's crib when she was a baby.

"Bull!" Rasler had said trying not to smile as Iron Bull held the poor mage by his throat pinning him to the wall. "Release the poor boy. He won't be any good to anyone if you kill him and I don't care to have the place redecorated by having him become a permanent wall ornament."

Bull shrugged. "Whatever you say, Boss." He released the mage who fell to the floor clutching his throat and gasping for air. "Sorry about that kid." Bull said clenching his hand. The mage had never quite recovered and became noticeably paler whenever Bull was around him. If Bull had to be honest with himself, he had developed a soft spot for the boss's daughter, and when the day came when Aria became interested in the opposite gender, he wasn't sure if he, Cullen, or Rasler would have more fun scaring off her suitors.

He laughed softly to himself as he watched Aria staring daggers at the offending tree branch and strolled over to see what the trouble was. Aria looked up as he approached and gave him a half hearted smile before returning her attention back to being annoyed.

"You know if you keep looking like that your face will freeze that way."

"Vivienne says that's just a myth to frighten children." Aria said even as she relaxed her face ever so slightly.

"It's true. How do you think my face got to be this way?"

Aria stared at him for a moment as if looking for another explanation and finding none she simply shrugged.

"Tell me," he said, "why are you sitting here looking at the poor tree like it you wish it would burst into flames?"

"Because I do!" Aria said rising to her feet. "I was playing with the ball Cole found for me and I bounced it too high and it got stuck in the branches." She pointed to the branch above her head. "Look!"

Iron Bull glanced up and spotted the bright orange ball wedged in a crevice between the branch and the trunk. "Hmm, well if you promise to forgive the tree and spare it from whatever fate you were wishing upon it then I may be able to help."

"Only if the tree apologizes." Aria mumbled and Bull chuckled. Her father's sense of humor showed itself at the oddest of times.

"Well, I spoke to the tree," He said lifting Aria off of her feet and raising her up. "It deeply regrets its actions and offers you your ball back as a peace offering."

Aria grabbed the ball and Bull placed her in his massive shoulder.

"Aria!" Came Josephine's voice as she crossed the courtyard. "Lunch!"

Iron Bull grunted. "Maker's Balls do you have to shout? My head is pounding."

Aria giggled and Josephine rolled her eyes. "It never ceases to amaze me how tactful and articulate you are. And it is not my fault you made it your personal to drink all the ale in the tavern before day break."

"I should be offended that you call that piss they serve ale."

Aria laughed again and Josephine sighed. "Could you kindly finish corrupting my daughter after she has had lunch? I would hate for her brilliance to be spoiled on an empty stomach."

"All right, all right." He glanced up at Aria. "Better get you to the kitchens before your ma loses her-"

"Bull!"

"On our way." Bull carried Aria across the courtyard and up the stairs to the Keep. He stopped in the main hall and Bull hoisted her off his shoulder and gently sat her down. "Here we are, Kid. Now remember: if it's green, leafy, or comes from the ground, push it aside. That food is for sissys and fluffy little rabbits."

"Dorian says it's important to eat your vegetables."

"Like I said."

Aria turned to leave but paused. She looked up at Bull and motioned him closer. He got down on his knee so he was eye level with her and she kissed him on his heavily scarred face.

"There's nothing wrong with your face." She smiled and turned around heading in the direction of the kitchens. Bull smiled in spite of himself. Full grown men were often intimidated by his appearance, and he used that to his advantage on the battle field. This little girl was braver than most men and wasn't the least bit afraid of him.

"What a little warrior." He said to himself.

"What did I tell you, Chief?" Bull glanced over his shoulder to see his lieutenant Krem stading with his arms crossed and an irritating smirk on his face. "The legendary Iron Bull has had what little remains of his heart stolen by a little girl."

Bull got to his feet and gave Krem a shove that caused him to stumble backwards several steps.

"Get your ass to the sparring ring and we'll see if your feet are as fast as your mouth."

As the two left the Keep Bull found himself in one the few and annoying occasions where he was in agreement with Krem. Aria had indeed made her way into his seldom used heart and he pitied anything that would threaten to take that away from him.


	10. Isabela

**Hey all. So I decided to do something a little different and have Aria meet some other people outside of the Inquisition at least for this chapter. I may do a few depending on what you guys think.**

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Isabela leaned back in her chair in the tavern at Skyhold, lazily tracing her finger around the rim of the mug of her second pint. Her eyes wandered around the occupants of the tavern was surprisingly high since the sun had not yet finished setting.

She was restless. She was not accustomed to being in one place for very long and she had already been in the confining walls of Skyhold longer than she had expected. Hawke had promised her that they would only be a few days at the keep and they were now approaching their second week. The wedding of the fabled Hero of Ferelden had taken place nearly a week ago, and yet Isabela remained.

She knew that she was free to leave whenever she was inclined, but after nearly losing Hawke to a demon (or a giant spider, the details were still somewhat unclear) several years ago, she had since decided that Hawke was not responsible enough to travel anywhere on his own and refused to leave his side. Hawke had dared to suggest that she was ready to settle down, and it had taken nearly a week for Hawke to be able to sleep beside her without thoroughly searching her for any hidden daggers. Hawke knew her true feelings for him, and as far as she was concerned that was enough for the both of them. While some people were perfectly suited to a life of marriage, Isabela was not one of them.

The door to the tavern burst open and several small children came running in. Three boys followed closely by a very angry looking little girl. The boys seemed to be tossing a small doll between them and it was obvious from the look on her face that the doll belonged to the girl. Isabela recognized her immediately, she was the daughter of Josephine and Rasler Trevelyan. The normally well mannered girl was now quite beside herself and shouting angrily at the three larger boys. She recognized two of the boys as well. Prince Duncan, the son of King Alistair and Queen Anora, and Tevhen the son of Oghren and Felsi. The other boy she did not recognize, no doubt the offspring of one of Skyhold's numerous occupants.

The three boys had formed a ring around Aria and were now tossing the doll between the three of them in a rather unfair game of keep away.

"Give it back!" Aria shouted angrily, jumping to try and catch the doll as it was launched over her head.

"Is that anyway to talk to your prince?" Duncan said holding the doll over her head. Though only a year older, he stood nearly a head taller than Aria and was easily able to keep it out of her reach. "I could easily have you turned into my jester."

"No joke I tell would be as big of a joke as you, _My Prince._" Aria said as the poor doll once again sailed over her head.

Isabela chuckled at that. For such a young girl she had mastered the art of witty comebacks. Isabela finished her pint and rose to her feet wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She casually strolled over to the scene and grabbed the doll in mid air as it soared by her.

"It's very rare I get a headache _before _I get drunk, you boys however are causing one worse than any hangover I have yet received."

She handed the doll to Aria who shot the boys a smug look.

"Now, why don't you _gentlemen _go find something manly to do that does not involve tormenting a female of some kind. Although I fear your mothers will never be free of that turmoil. I see why some species eat their young."

"My father-" Duncan began but Isabela cut him off.

"Alistair is it? I have eaten things that frighten me more than your father, we go way back child. By all means run to him, as a matter of fact tell him I sent you. We have so much catching up to do."

Duncan's ears turned red, in the same way his father's did when he was uncomfortable or embarrassed. Which was surprisingly often. Duncan motioned for the others to follow him and hurried out of the tavern.

Isabela felt a slight tug on her tunic and she looked down to see Aria looking up at her with admiration. "Thank you."

Isabela smiled and bent down on one knee until she was eye level with the girl. "Listen Sweet Thing, I'm going to give you some advice that I did not learn until I was much older than you. Never let a man push you around, no matter who he is. As a woman you must be twice as smart and ten times as tough." Isabela untied the bandanna from around her head and wrapped it around the younger girl.

"There. Now if any more of those boys give you a hard time tell that you have been trained as a pirate and if they so much as look at something that does not belong to them that your Captain Isabela will be having a word with them."

Aria smiled at her and Isabela felt something stir inside her. She shook the thought from her head and patted the girl on the head.

"Now, pirates are always looking for something to raid. Why don't you start with the larder?"

Aria turned and skipped out through the still open door of the tavern almost colliding with the towering figure of Hawke. Hawke moved quickly out of the way to make room for the girl who waved as she went by.

Hawke entered the tavern and approached Isabela who rose to her feet.

"Did I just witness you being maternal?" Hawke said with that infuriating grin.

Isabela snorted. More likely you will see Varric put on a dress and dance the marigold."

Hawke chuckled slightly before becoming serious. "I'm sorry, I know I said that we would be here for only a few days at the most. I know you are restless and I promise that we will leave in the next few days."

To his surprise, Isabela smiled.

"You know, this place has started to grow on me."

"Like a fungus?" Hawke asked confused.

"It has..certain charming qualities that I find appealing. If you insist on staying longer, I would not be opposed."

Hawke smiled and kissed her forehead.

"But so help me Hawke, if you even suggest that I am ready to settle down again I will be on the first ship I can steal back to Antiva."

"You never let me have any fun."

They turned and left the tavern bantering all the way back to the Keep. Anyone who did no know them would wonder how they managed to live with each other. Those that knew them however, knew that their bickering was their way of saying "I love you."


	11. Yvette

Yvette Montilyet fanned herself with her hand and gave a most undignified yawn. She had been forced to come to Skyhold at her parent's insistence and after four days in this dreadfully dull place she was about at her breaking point. Her normally creative mind had reached an impenetrable wall that she could not seem to overcome. She had been staring at a blank canvas for two days and no matter how many times she tried, the inspiration she so desperately needed remained just out of her reach. She sighed in frustration and rose from her chair to stretch her legs.

She opted to take a walk in the garden and hope that she would find some misplaced source of inspiration that she might have missed on one of other half dozen times she had wandered the area. Maker, what was Josephine thinking living in such a drab place? Surely she and her husband would be better suited to a life of luxury? Well, at least Josephine, her husband was a Marcher and what would pass as luxury in that place would make even the poorest noble in Antiva cringe with distaste.

Yvette stepped into the brilliant glow of the sun and a cool breeze hit her face. She took a deep breath, savoring the fresh air after hours of being shut away in the musty keep. There were surprisingly few people in the garden, normally on such a nice day the garden would be packed with people enjoying the day. Today however there were only a handful of people seen around the intricately designed garden. The boy called Cole sat crossed legged at the far end of the garden, tenderly holding a rabbit to his chest and stroking its fur. The rabbit did not seem to mind and almost seemed to be at ease in Cole's arms. Mother Giselle sat on a bench in front of a group of school aged children no doubt giving a lesson about Andraste or The Maker or some other holy figure along with a life lesson of some kind.

And curled up on the nearest bench with her nose in a book which seemed to be her natural pose, sat Yvette's young niece Aria. The girl was not even eight years of age, yet to Yvette it seemed that she had read more books than most scholars. This was one of the many traits that she had inherited from her mother. Yvette remembered when they were children how angry Josephine would become if anyone, including their parents, had the audacity to interrupt whatever story she had immersed herself in. Yvette vividly remembered an incident when their brother Antoine had stolen one of Josephine's books and refused to give it back. Her normally composed sister had called Antoine names that would make a pirate blush.

Aria looked up from her book and gave Yvette a huge smile.

"Hi, Auntie." She said cheerfully.

Yvette sighed and sat down next to the younger girl. "I wish you would refrain from calling me that. It makes me sound dreadfully old."

Aria gave her a quizzical look. "Then what should I call you?"

"Preferably a carriage to take me home to Antiva."

"Do you not like it here Auntie?"

Yvette chose to ignore the title and began to fan herself with her hand. "Oh, it's not all bad I suppose. I just, I cannot fathom why your mother would choose to live in a smothering castle rather than back home."

"Mama says that home is wherever your family is." Aria said closing her book and sitting cross legged on the bench.

"Yes, precisely my point! You and your mother and father could come and live in Antiva closer to family. You would love it there, the sunsets are breath taking."

Aria was silent a moment, her brow was furrowed just like her father's when he was concentrating.

"How big is your estate?"

"Why, more than big enough to hold your whole family quite comfortably."

Aria's eyes widened. "Wow, your home must be twice as big as Skyhold!"

Yvette was thoroughly confused. "Why do you say that?"

"Because Skyhold is huge and the whole Inquisition can fit here but this is a castle. Your home must he huge if it can fit everyone in it."

Yvette chuckled. "No, no dear. I meant your family-you, your mama and your papa."

Now it was Aria who looked confused. "But, the Inquisition is my family too."

"Why do you say that Dear?"

"Well," Aria said looking thoughtful "Papa calls Cullen his brother and Mama calls Leliana her sister, so that makes them family right? And Leliana and Aedan are married so that makes him family. Cole always takes care of me when I'm sick, like Mama and Papa do. Vivienne helps me pick out clothes like Mama, and Varric tells me stories before bed. Dorian helps me with my studies and Iron Bull lets me sit on his lap and the Chargers always bring me back toys when they come home from their adventures. Krem got me a doll from Denerim that looks just like Queen Anora. Sera always plays with me and makes me laugh when I'm sad, and Blackwall teaches me how to take care of the horses. Papa says that family are the people who make you feel safe and happy, so doesn't that mean that the Inquisition is family too?"

Yvette stared at the young girl speechless. She was truly her mother's daughter and possessed an outlook on life that many adults lacked. Yvette had never seen things that way, family did not necessarily mean blood relatives, it meant being loved and cared for by those who meant the most to you. Yvette had always baffled at her sisters willingness to remain in a place such as this, but now thanks to the mind of a seven year old girl, she finally understood her sister's reasoning. Josephine would never forget her first family and always ensured that their interests and needs were met. She had simply found a home with a new family, one that held just as much importance as her first.

Aria hopped off the bench and took Yvette's hand.

"Follow me!" She said excitedly.

Yvette rose and followed Aria through the door leading to the main hall and through another door that opened up a winding staircase. Arya all but drug Yvette up the stairs and at long last the ground leveled out and they stood in front of yet another large wooden door. Aria pushed it open with a small grunt and the two found themselves on the battlements of the keep.

The sun was beginning to sink behind the mountains, and the sky was slowly turning to a brilliant mixture of pink and orange. Yvette had never seen this part of the keep before, and she had certainly never seen the keep look so beautiful. The snow capped tips of the mountains came in and out of view as the clouds drifted lazily by, and the small glimmers of light from the keep's torches gave the illusion that the keep itself was winking at her.

"See Auntie?" Aria said happily. "Skyhold has pretty sunsets too!"

Yvette stared at the young girl. Her pale green eyes reflected the dimming light of the sun, and the light surrounding her reminded Yvette of one of the paintings of Andraste as she looked upon her followers surrounded by the light of The Maker.

Yvette had planned to stay only a few days more, but that few days turned into nearly a month. She had shut herself in her quarters over the next several weeks working on what she called "her masterpiece." Nobody quite knew what this was exactly, but when Josephine's name day arrived the next month, Yvette presented her sister with a new painting for her "drab office." The painting was that of a young girl sitting in a garden reading a book with a brilliant sunset seen in the background. The painting was one that could rival even the greatest artist of Thedas and Josephine hugged her sister tightly thanking her for such a lovely gift.

Aria looked at the painting and turned her head. "Is this Mama?" She asked Yvette.

Yvette gave the girl a brilliant smile. "That my dear is a girl who has inspired me in a way that cannot be put into words." '

Aria squinted the painting again and shrugged, unaware that the girl in the painting was in fact her and that she had given Yvette the inspiration that she had thougth lost to her.


End file.
